Award bestowed on welding student

Published: Sunday, May 1, 2005 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, May 1, 2005 at 12:00 a.m.

Blue Ridge Community College honored its most outstanding skilled trades student last week with the awarding of the 2004-05 Distinguished Tradesman Scholarship to 19-year-old welding student Blaine Gilliam of Broad River.

A 2004 graduate of Owen High School in Black Mountain, Gilliam first studied welding in high school at the Career Education Center in West Asheville, deciding at that point that he wanted to make welding his career and some day own his own business.

Welding instructor Steve Rutterbush describes Blaine as having outstanding ability in the field due to his interest, practice and motivation, ending his recommendation by paying him the ultimate compliment: "Blaine would be my first and only choice if I were allowed a teacher's assistant."

The Distinguished Tradesman Scholarship was founded in 1982 by an anonymous donor to encourage talented students to pursue vocational trades as a career. Now funded by an endowment in the BRCC Educational Foundation, this year's award carried with it a no-strings-attached stipend of $1,450.

The runners-up for the award were also honored for excellence, each receiving $100 Skilled Trades Achievement Awards: Steve Miller of Fletcher, carpentry; Nicola Deines of Fletcher, automotive restoration; and Leanna Knaub of Saluda, machining technology.

Don't forget that one of the college's premier arts events of the year, the Arida Arts Symposium, is next Friday. This year's symposium will honor the Voorhees family, a family of eight artists including local potter David Voorhees and jeweler Molly Sharp.

The featured events are a creativity workshop in Thomas Auditorium, 10 to 11 a.m.; a reception and exhibition of the work of all family members in the Thomas Auditorium Gallery, 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.; and an evening presentation, "A Family Inspired for Generations," 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Admission to all events is free, but reservations are encouraged: call 694-1708 or register online at www.blueridge.edu, Arts and Culture.

While many of you may know that BRCC holds its graduation ceremonies at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14, on the Killian Terrace, what you may not know is that we'll kick off summer the following day with a high-energy Music by the Lake performance at 5 p.m., lakeside behind the Patton Building.

Performing will be the Flat Rock band The Carburetors, featuring some familiar faces from the Playhouse and playing a unique brand of "chicken-fried country rock." Look for full information in next Sunday's Times-News.

Long-time friend of the college Luke Rindal was honored by the BRCC Educational Foundation April 20 by being named a director emeritus of the foundation.

Rindal has been one of the college's most generous supporters in terms of both time and money, donating each year to the Rindal Endowment, which he established in 1992, and serving as a director of the foundation for more than seven years and as a college trustee for eight. Rindal is a former plant manager of Berkeley Mills and retired as Director of Manufacturing for Kimberly-Clark Corp.

At the same meeting, the foundation board also recognized the contributions of Spence Campbell, who is rotating off the board, and the leadership of Patsy Farmer Jones, board president for 2004-05.

Classical guitar lovers are invited to the Classical Guitar Society of the Western Carolinas' first student recital at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in Patton Auditorium. The performers include two BRCC students, Susan Riddle of Saluda and Paul Songy of Hendersonville. Details are available at www.classicalguitarswc.org.

<p>Blue Ridge Community College honored its most outstanding skilled trades student last week with the awarding of the 2004-05 Distinguished Tradesman Scholarship to 19-year-old welding student Blaine Gilliam of Broad River.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>A 2004 graduate of Owen High School in Black Mountain, Gilliam first studied welding in high school at the Career Education Center in West Asheville, deciding at that point that he wanted to make welding his career and some day own his own business.</p><p>Welding instructor Steve Rutterbush describes Blaine as having outstanding ability in the field due to his interest, practice and motivation, ending his recommendation by paying him the ultimate compliment: "Blaine would be my first and only choice if I were allowed a teacher's assistant."</p><p>The Distinguished Tradesman Scholarship was founded in 1982 by an anonymous donor to encourage talented students to pursue vocational trades as a career. Now funded by an endowment in the BRCC Educational Foundation, this year's award carried with it a no-strings-attached stipend of $1,450.</p><p>The runners-up for the award were also honored for excellence, each receiving $100 Skilled Trades Achievement Awards: Steve Miller of Fletcher, carpentry; Nicola Deines of Fletcher, automotive restoration; and Leanna Knaub of Saluda, machining technology.</p><p><li> <li> <li></p><p>Don't forget that one of the college's premier arts events of the year, the Arida Arts Symposium, is next Friday. This year's symposium will honor the Voorhees family, a family of eight artists including local potter David Voorhees and jeweler Molly Sharp.</p><p>The featured events are a creativity workshop in Thomas Auditorium, 10 to 11 a.m.; a reception and exhibition of the work of all family members in the Thomas Auditorium Gallery, 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.; and an evening presentation, "A Family Inspired for Generations," 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Admission to all events is free, but reservations are encouraged: call 694-1708 or register online at www.blueridge.edu, Arts and Culture.</p><p><li> <li> <li></p><p>While many of you may know that BRCC holds its graduation ceremonies at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14, on the Killian Terrace, what you may not know is that we'll kick off summer the following day with a high-energy Music by the Lake performance at 5 p.m., lakeside behind the Patton Building.</p><p>Performing will be the Flat Rock band The Carburetors, featuring some familiar faces from the Playhouse and playing a unique brand of "chicken-fried country rock." Look for full information in next Sunday's Times-News.</p><p><li> <li> <li></p><p>Long-time friend of the college Luke Rindal was honored by the BRCC Educational Foundation April 20 by being named a director emeritus of the foundation.</p><p>Rindal has been one of the college's most generous supporters in terms of both time and money, donating each year to the Rindal Endowment, which he established in 1992, and serving as a director of the foundation for more than seven years and as a college trustee for eight. Rindal is a former plant manager of Berkeley Mills and retired as Director of Manufacturing for Kimberly-Clark Corp.</p><p>At the same meeting, the foundation board also recognized the contributions of Spence Campbell, who is rotating off the board, and the leadership of Patsy Farmer Jones, board president for 2004-05.</p><p><li> <li> <li></p><p>Classical guitar lovers are invited to the Classical Guitar Society of the Western Carolinas' first student recital at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in Patton Auditorium. The performers include two BRCC students, Susan Riddle of Saluda and Paul Songy of Hendersonville. Details are available at www.classicalguitarswc.org.</p>